Welcome to the Department of Psychology Research Participation website.  Most of our studies take place in the Psychology building on the University of California, Santa Barbara campus. 

One important way to learn about psychology and understand the nature of psychological research is from the inside-by being a participant in psychological studies. By serving as a participant in social science research, you also contribute to advancing the scientific understanding of human thought and behavior.  A lot of this important research would not be possible without the participation of research volunteers.

Information for Students Receiving Course Credit

All students who intend to sign up for studies in order to receive course credit [for Introduction to Psychology (Psy 1) or Introduction to Experimental Methods (Psy 7)], see the link below:

Course Credit

Information for Paid Participants

If you are interested in participating in studies for pay, see the link below. Reminder: if you are enrolled in Psy 1 or Psy 7, you may only participate in studies for pay AFTER you have completed the credit requirement for the course:

Paid Participants

Connecting to the Research Sign-up System

In order to help interested research volunteers enroll in research studies for course credit and for pay, we utilize a web-based research sign-up system called Sona Systems. To connect to the Research Sign-up System, link to this website:

http://ucsb.sona-systems.com

Information for Students Receiving Course Credit

CALENDAR

Study Pool Schedule for Spring 2007 Academic Quarter (Students currently enrolled in Psych 1 or 7 only)

• First day of experiments: 4/2/07
• Online Pre-screening Begins: 4/2/07
• Deadline to complete Pre-screening for Course Credit: 4/22/07
• Last day to participate in studies for Spring quarter credit: 6/8/07

The Study Pool remains open for paid participants throughout the academic year and summer.

Instructions for using the University of California, Santa Barbara Psychology Department Research Sign-up System

Introduction

The University of California, Santa Barbara Research Sign-up System provides an easy method for you to sign up for studies.  Everything is done through the software’s web-based interface, so you can access the system at any time, from any computer, with a standard web browser.

Getting Started

Using a web-browser (such as Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, or Netscape), go to:

http://ucsb.sona-systems.com

Note: The system works best if you use a web browser that is reasonably up to date. It works well with Internet Explorer version 4 and above, and Netscape version 4 and above. It will work with other web browsers, and with older versions of Internet Explorer and Netscape, however, that layout may not be as clean.

Setting up an Account and Logging In

Once you have registered in Psychology 1 or Psychology 7, an email will be sent to the email address you have provided in GOLD.  In most cases, this is your U-Mail address (i.e. gaucho@umail.ucsb.edu).  Check this account for an email containing your User ID and Password for the “Psychology Research Participation Sign-Up” website.

If you have not already registered in the course, or have not yet activated your U-Mail account, you should receive the email within a few days of doing so.

The first time you login you will be asked to read important information regarding your rights and responsibilities as a participant in Psychology department research. Please read ALL of this information carefully.  At the bottom of the page you will have to indicate whether or not you agree to these terms before you may continue.

Pre-screening

When you log in for the first time, you will be asked if you want to participate in an online Pre-screening. This is an optional survey that consists of questionnaires and demographic information that helps determine the studies for which you qualify. You may choose not to answer certain Pre-screening questions, but this may limit the number of studies in which you can participate.

The Pre-screening survey should take 40-45 minutes. You can choose to participate in Pre-screening immediately, or you may choose to participate at a later time.  However, if you want to receive credit for participating in Pre-screening, you MUST complete these measures within the first two weeks of the quarter. The Pre-screening survey can be accessed on the “My Profile" page at any time during the first two weeks of the quarter; however, it will not be available after that time. 

Participation in Pre-screening is totally voluntary. If you do choose to participate, you will receive one credit towards your Psy 1 or Psy 7 research requirement.

BE ADVISED: You MUST complete the entire survey, and hit “submit” at the end, or the system will NOT record your responses.  This means that your data will not be saved, and the system will have no record that you participated. So, if you want to participate in Pre-screening, you should only do it when you will have the full 45 minutes to devote to completing the questionnaires.

The information from Pre-screening is stored in a confidential database.  In order to protect your privacy, the information is coded with a unique code instead of your name.

If you are under the age of 18, you may NOT complete this questionnaire.

Thanks in advance, for your cooperation. The Psychology Department’s researchers appreciate you participation!

The Main Screen

After you have acknowledged the human subjects policy and completed the Pre-screening, you will see a main screen that will allow you to view and sign-up for studies, examine what studies you have scheduled and completed, and manage your profile on the system. This is the first screen you will see whenever you log back into the system.

Changing Your Password and Other Information

If you would like to change your password or other information about yourself, choose My Profile from the main menu.  If you would like to change your password, type the new password (twice, for confirmation) in the provided boxes. If you do not want to change your password, simply leave these boxes empty.

You may also update the following information:

• Please enter your first and last name as it appears in GOLD.
• Please provide a valid email address.  You may use a non-UCSB email address (i.e. Hotmail, G-mail), but it is preferable to use your UCSB UMAIL address.
• The telephone number is optional, but highly recommended in case of last minute cancellations.
• You should select all psychology classes in which you are currently enrolled. You can change your course selection at a later time if needed.
• If you would like to participate in some studies for pay, you can also select PAID as a course option, however, you may only participate in studies for pay AFTER you have completed the course credit requirement.

Viewing Studies

Studies that currently have available participation times (timeslots) will have “TIMESLOTS AVAILABLE” listed on the left side of the screen.  If no studies have available timeslots, you may want to logon to the system a few days later to see if new timeslots have been added.

To sign up to participate in a study, find the study you would like to participate in and click on the study name for more information. You will see a description of the study, the number of credits or pay offered, as well as a contact person if you have questions about the study. You may also see a URL for the study.

You may also see a list of any special restrictions or eligibility requirements.  Some restrictions are automatically enforced by the system.  If the study has certain pre-requisites or disqualifiers those will be listed, for example, participation in some studies may disqualify you from participating in others.  The study may have other restrictions listed as Subject Restrictions. If listed, then the system does not enforce this restriction, but you should only sign up for the study if you meet the restrictions. If you sign up for a study even though you do not meet the restriction, you will likely not receive credit for this study.

After you click Sign Up, you will see information displayed confirming the time and location of the study you plan to participate in. You will receive an email confirmation. You are now signed up for the study.  You will see a screen that looks like this:

Some studies require a special password to sign up. If this is the case, it will be noted. The researcher should have given you this password. It is not the same as the password you use to login to the system. You will need to enter the special sign-up password just before you click the Sign Up button to sign up for a timeslot.

You may only sign up for a timeslot up until a certain time before that timeslot is scheduled to occur. The system will not show a Sign Up button for timeslots where it is too late to sign up.

Canceling A Sign Up

There is a time limit (deadline) before the study is to occur, when it is too late to cancel. This restriction is listed at the bottom of the page. There is no penalty associated with canceling a study prior to the cancellation deadline. However, after the deadline, you cannot cancel the appointment through the system. The researchers are instructed to assign a penalty of 1 research credit if you cancel after the deadline or fail to show for a study you signed up for. Under extenuating circumstances a researcher may cancel your appointment without penalizing you. However, this is only reserved for extreme circumstances, and you should assume that you will get penalized if you fail to cancel your appointment prior to the deadline.

Once you click Cancel to cancel your sign-up, you will see a confirmation page. You will also be warned if your cancellation might affect your ability to participate in other studies you have signed up for, due to pre-requisite restrictions. Click Yes to cancel your sign-up, and the sign-up will be cancelled.

Multipart Studies

Some studies involve multiple sessions. Depending on the laboratory, the researcher may list these as separate studies and only allow you to sign up for the second part of the study after you have completed the first part. Other studies are set up where you must sign up for each part of the study at once, with the sessions scheduled a pre-determined number of days apart. These studies will be clearly marked as multipart studies. If you cancel the first part of a multipart study, the following parts will also be cancelled. If you cancel the second part of a two-part study, the first part will not be cancelled, but you will need to ask the researcher to sign you up for the second part again, if you would like to participate in it at a later date.

Tracking Your Progress

You may track your progress at any time by choosing the My Schedule/Credits option from the top toolbar or the Main page. When you view this page, you will see the number of credits you are required to earn (SIX credits are required for both Psy 1 and Psy 7) and the number of credits you have earned so far. Below that, if you have signed up for any studies, those are listed as well.

Retrieving a Lost Password

Logging Out

For security purposes you should always logout of the system by clicking on Logout at the right side of the top menu bar. This is particularly important if you are accessing the site from a public computer.

Problems and Caveats

If you believe that you should have received credit for an experiment that you have not received credit for, or if you feel you have been wrongly penalized, contact the researcher for the study in question. If you are unable to resolve the problem, contact the system administrator Chris McFerron at wwwsubpool@psych.ucsb.edu.

PAID RESEARCH PARTICIPANTS

Instructions for Using the University of California, Santa Barbara Psychology
Research Sign-Up System

Instructions for using the University of California, Santa Barbara Psychology Department Research Sign-up System

Introduction

The University of California, Santa Barbara Research Sign-up System provides an easy method for you to sign up for studies.  Everything is done through the software’s web-based interface, so you can access the system at any time, from any computer, with a standard web browser.

Getting Started

Using a web-browser (such as Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, or Netscape), go to:

http://ucsb.sona-systems.com

Note: The system works best if you use a web browser that is reasonably up to date. It works well with Internet Explorer version 4 and above, and Netscape version 4 and above. It will work with other web browsers, and with older versions of Internet Explorer and Netscape, however, that layout may not be as clean.

Requesting an Account

On the left side of the main login screen is a link for new users to request an account. Click on New User.  After you click on the New User link, you will be asked to provide some contact information.

Please make sure to provide a valid email address. Under Course, select PAID from the pull down menu.  Telephone numbers are optional, but highly recommended in case a researcher needs to contact you (for instance if a study has to be canceled at the last minute).

Subject Pool Policies and Procedures

The first time you login you will be asked to read important information regarding your rights and responsibilities as a participant in Psychology department research. Please read ALL of this information carefully.  At the bottom of the page you will have to indicate whether or not you agree to these terms before you may continue.

In order to receive payment for participating in a study for pay you will be required to fill out a receipt that asks for your name, age, permanent address and social security number. You will also be asked to show identification verifying that you are 18 years or older. This information is required for financial record keeping purposes.  All of this information will be held in strictest confidence and will be kept in a file separate from any other study materials.

Pre-screening

When you log in for the first time, you will be asked if you want to participate in an online Pre-screening. This is an optional survey that consists of questionnaires and demographic information that helps determine the studies for which you qualify.  You may choose not to answer certain Pre-screening questions, but this may limit the number of studies in which you can participate.

The information from the Pre-screening is stored in a confidential database.  In order to protect your privacy, the information is coded with a unique code instead of your name. The database is stored on a firewall protected server, and the only individual who can access this information is the website administrator (who still cannot directly link a name to the pre-screening answers). The information is maintained in strictest confidence and is not accessible by any of the researchers, your instructors, or any other members of the UCSB community.

The Pre-screening survey should take 40-45 minutes. The Research Sign-up system will only display studies for which you qualify in order to prevent you from signing up for studies in which you cannot participate. At the end of the Pre-screening, you will have a chance to review and change any of your responses. You only need to complete this survey once. The system is set up so that once you have saved the Pre-screening, you cannot modify it.  Answer Pre-screening questions carefully. You may skip any questions you do not feel comfortable answering without any penalty.

If you have questions or concerns about the Pre-screening, or if you have a reason for wanting to change a Pre-screening answer after submitting it, please contact the system administrator Chris McFerron at wwwsubpool@psych.ucsb.edu

BE ADVISED: You MUST complete the entire survey, and hit “submit” at the end, or the system will NOT record your responses.  This means that your data will not be saved, and the system will have no record that you participated. So, if you want to participate in Pre-screening, you should only do it when you will have the full 45 minutes to devote to completing the questionnaires.

If you are under the age of 18, you may NOT complete Pre-screening or participate in paid studies.

Thanks in advance, for your cooperation. The Psychology Department’s researchers appreciate you participation!

The Main Screen

Changing Your Password and Other Information

If you would like to change your password or other information about yourself, choose My Profile from the main menu.  If you would like to change your password, type the new password (twice, for confirmation) in the provided boxes. If you do not want to change your password, simply leave these boxes empty.

Viewing Studies

Studies that currently have available participation times (timeslots) will have “TIMESLOTS AVAILABLE” listed on the left side of the screen.  If no studies have available timeslots, you may want to logon to the system a few days later to see if new timeslots have been added.

You may also see a list of any special restrictions or eligibility requirements.  Some restrictions are automatically enforced by the system.  If the study has certain pre-requisites or disqualifiers those will be listed, for example, participation in some studies may disqualify you from participating in others. The study may have other restrictions listed as Subject Restrictions. If you sign up for a study even though you do not meet the restriction, you will likely not receive credit for this study.

After you click Sign Up, you will see information displayed confirming the time and location of the study you plan to participate in. You will receive an email confirmation. You are now signed up for the study.  You will see a screen that looks like this:

Some studies require a special password to sign up. If this is the case, it will be noted. The researcher should have given you this password. It is not the same as the password you use to login to the system. You will need to enter the special sign-up password just before you click the Sign Up button to sign up for a timeslot.

You may only sign up for a timeslot up until a certain time before that timeslot is scheduled to occur. The system will not show a Sign Up button for timeslots where it is too late to sign up.

Canceling A Sign Up

There is a time limit (deadline) before the study is to occur, after which it is too late to cancel. This restriction is listed at the bottom of the page. As a paid subject there is no penalty for a late cancellation or no-show. However, some of the experiments are quite expensive to run and/or require a great deal of time to set-up so please try to always notify the researcher if you cannot make a study (the researcher’s email address is typically found on the study information sheet). Individuals who repeatedly fail to show for studies without appropriately canceling experiments will be deleted from the system.

Once you click Cancel to cancel your sign-up, you will see a confirmation page. You will also be warned if your cancellation might affect your ability to participate in other studies you have signed up for, due to pre-requisite restrictions. Click YES to cancel your sign-up, and the sign-up will be cancelled.

Multipart Studies

Some studies involve multiple sessions. Depending on the laboratory, the researcher may list these as separate studies and only allow you to sign up for the second part of the study after you have completed the first part. Other studies are set up where you must sign up for each part of the study at once, with the sessions scheduled a pre-determined number of days apart. These studies will be clearly marked as multipart studies. If you cancel the first part of a multipart study, the following parts will also be cancelled. If you cancel the second part of a two-part study, the first part will not be cancelled, but you will need to ask the researcher to sign you up for the second part again, if you would like to participate in it at a later date.

Retrieving a Lost Password

Logging Out

For security purposes you should always logout of the system by clicking on Logout at the right side of the top menu bar. This is particularly important if you are accessing the site from a public computer.

Parking
All parking on UCSB campus is done through a metered system.  Do not park in stalls marked “A” or “S.”  Parking is available throughout the edges of campus for the following prices and payment will usually be recouped by the Psychology Department:

$3 for 1 hour
$4 for 2 hours
$5 for 3 hours
$8 all day

For available parking lots please see this link:
http://www.aw.id.ucsb.edu/maps/ucsbmap.html

The color system works as such:

Light Yellow (e.g., lots 27 & 16):  Metered visitor parking available at all times
Dark Yellow (e.g., lots 10, 18, 22):  Metered visitor parking in specifically marked stalls
Note:  Lot 22 will be available for visitor parking at all times at the end of October, beginning of November.

Problems and Caveats

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